OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

35.34°S, 149.07°EAustralia/Sydney

Deep Astronomical Night-30.5° (< −18°)

03:19:43

Sat, Oct 24, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM7h 43m of true darkness · 10h 45m total night

DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset19:25

Civil Dusk19:51

Nautical20:23

Full Dark20:56

Nadir00:47

Dark Ends04:39

Nautical05:12

Civil Dawn05:43

Sunrise06:10

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION92%

ALTITUDE15.2°

DISTANCE380,350 km

Moonrise16:20

Moonset04:40

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX24% · Minimal Lunar Glare

Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

83/100

Good Stargazing

Fine observing conditions. Open star clusters and nebulae will exhibit crisp structure.

CLOUD COVER15%

HUMIDITY50%

VISIBILITY18 km

DEW POINT10.8°C

PLANETARY EPHEMERIS & ALMANAC

Visible Planets Tonight

All times calibrated to Australia/Sydney

PLANET	STATUS	MAGNITUDE	ALTITUDE	AZIMUTH	CONSTELLATION	RISE	TRANSIT	SET	EQUIPMENT
Venus♀	Below Horizon	-4.3	-24.3°	138°	Libra	05:44	12:38	19:39	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Rising / Setting	-2.0	0.4°	72°	Leo	03:17	08:37	13:57	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Visible Low	0.3	26.2°	293°	Pisces	17:38	23:36	05:34	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Rising / Setting	1.0	4.4°	65°	Cancer	02:54	08:03	13:13	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-30.6°	160°	Libra	06:59	14:04	21:12	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Optimal Visibility	5.6	33.6°	357°	Taurus	22:08	03:07	08:06	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Visible Low	7.8	21.7°	286°	Pisces	17:03	23:06	05:09	Telescope

TONIGHT'S VIEWING SCHEDULE

When & Where to Look Tonight

A simple guide to when each object is above your horizon. No astronomy chart reading required.

BEST TIMEHighest in your sky

The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES16:20

BEST TIME22:35N · 54° high

SETS04:40

Reaches about 54° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.

JupiterNaked Eye · Good height

RISES03:17

BEST TIME08:37N · 40° high

SETS13:57

Reaches about 40° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES17:38

BEST TIME23:36N · 53° high

SETS05:34

Reaches about 53° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES05:44

BEST TIME12:38N · 73° high

SETS19:39

Reaches about 73° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.

MarsNaked Eye · Good height

RISES02:54

BEST TIME08:03N · 37° high

SETS13:13

Reaches about 37° above the horizon at its highest point.Distinctive crimson hue; polar ice cap discernible near opposition.

OBSERVING LOG & TARGET LIST

Tonight's Prime Deep-Sky Targets

0 / 6 targets logged tonight

M31 / NGC 224 · Andromeda

Andromeda Galaxy

Spiral Galaxy (2.5M ly)

Our galactic neighbor; visible as a ghostly oval smudge with dense radiant stellar core.

M45 · Taurus

The Pleiades (Seven Sisters)

Open Star Cluster

Breathtaking blue diamond cluster enshrouded in delicate interstellar reflection nebulosity.

M42 / NGC 1976 · Orion

Great Orion Nebula

Diffuse Emission Nebula

Star nursery harboring the brilliant Trapezium cluster with sprawling bat-wing filaments.

NGC 869 & NGC 884 · Perseus

The Double Cluster

Twin Open Clusters

Pair of spectacular shimmering jewel-boxes bursting with ruby supergiant stars.

M13 / NGC 6205 · Hercules

Great Globular Cluster in Hercules

Globular Cluster (300k stars)

Massive beehive of ancient stars packed tightly together into a blazing central ball.

M57 / NGC 6720 · Lyra

The Ring Nebula

Planetary Nebula

Delicate glowing smoke-ring left behind by a dying star 2,500 light-years away.